Some May Call It A Curse
by rcf1989
Summary: As I can't write drabbles to save my life. And those so called drabbles are featured here with our dear Regina involved in them all. A bunch of canon and a couple OC characters keep her company (everything is detailed in each chapter so it all makes sense). From text messages and becoming a sorceress for hire to turning Storybrooke into a war zone and everything in between.
1. Drafts I

**A/N. All I'll be posting here are supposedly 'drabbles' - see, I cannot write one even if my life depends on it because I always get carried away - that come from one of my RP accounts (obviously, as Regina) and the promps were left on my ask box by different characters. Each chapter belongs to a different prompt, and every prompt will always be included as well as the explanation between characters when needed. Keep in mind that I started writing them last night around midnight, so at some point my sanity left me. As for typos or grammatical mistakes, I'll go over them when I am done writing the last three 'drabbles' I have left, so in the meantime forgive me for being a fast typer and a sleep deprived writer too.**

**And now, it is time to get started.**

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**Drafts:** For unsent texts - Rumpel

_1#_ How's it going Rumpel, now that your darling Belle ditched you?

_2#_ I'm not your monster, bastard. If anything, my mother's.

_3#_ And the cowardly imp strikes again. Still a coward.

_4#_ You should think twice when you try to manipulate a Queen, lest she become a handful. Oh wait. I did.

_5#_ A wraith, really? So much of a gift that even the Charmings are pissed at you. Your thoughtfulness is as lacking as your courage.

_6#_ Someone got fucked over by their own curse, sucks doesn't it?


	2. Drafts II

**A/N. In this one you meet Tressa aka The Red Queen of Wonderland - do not mistake her for the Queen of Hearts. The reasoning behind the unsent texts is that Tressa, Regina's second cousin, is in love with the Evil Queen and her royal evilness is sick of her petty behaviour, which includes threatening Henry's life and showing up drunk at Regina's asking her to sleep with her and harassment just to name a few.**

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**Drafts:** For unsent texts - Tressa

_#1_ Grow. The. Fuck. Up.

_#2_ Just because you love someone doesn't mean you can force them to love you or give you a chance because you bug them with it.

_#3_ Seriously, enough with the harassment.

_#4_ For someone who wants to be a better person you seriously lack the ability to go through with it.

_#5_ I don't care how much you apologise for it. Touch a hair of Henry's head and you will regret the day you were born.

_#6_ Leave me alone. Is not a hard concept to grasp, is it?


	3. Drafts III

**A/N. Meet Ariel! Yes, the little mermaid. Sadly for our resident mermaid, who has been taught the menaing of the word '****_peasant_****' by Regina herself, she took it upon herself to call such a thing to Red - Regina's best friend, and in this universe also Snow White's wife. And if Regina finds out you insult one of her friends... Well, you may not enjoy the outcome.**

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**Drafts:** For unsent texts - Ariel

_#1_ I regret teaching you how to use the word 'peasant'. You do not call my best friend one and walk away with it.

_#2_ And said peasant is actually a better person than you'd aspire to be.

_#3_ And by peasant I mean rightful Queen of one of the Kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest.

_#4_ New lesson for you: ever want to be respected? Do not dare to downplay someone's origins. But then again, what can I expect from a fish?

_#5_ Really, insult one of my friends again and not even your swimming abilities will aid you.

_#6_ And so we are clear, we are not friends. Stop claiming to be such a thing.


	4. Comfort

**A/N. And here we have Grace, Jefferson's daughter**. **She's already met Regina once, and so far she only thinks of her as 'Henry's mom'.**

* * *

**Comfort:** My character will hug yours. - Grace

Of all the people she could have expected at her doorstep, Jefferson's daughter was not on the how did the girl was able to pass through all her barrier spells, as she did not consider her a friend or family. Perhaps through Henry? Either way, she'd have to check it out later, after she was done with the child.

However, she had not expected her either to be in tears when she opened the door of the manor.

"Grace?" Regina asked in a soft tone, as if she was speaking with Henry whenever he cried to soothe him.

"My Papa, I can't find him."

And the girl had gone all the way to her manor to tell her, of all people? Was even Jefferson aware that his daughter had talked to her at all? Still, aware that this would be good for the townspeople to believe she really wants to redeem herself, she moved to be at the girl's height.

"Maybe he left to go somewhere, maybe he went to buy you something?"

Grace shook her head. "No, Papa would have told 's gone."

The tears formed on the girl's eyes and Regina then did the only thing she knew that would comfort the opened her arms and Grace didn't take long to get the hint as soon she had wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and her was resting on her shoulder as she no time, she wrapped her arms around the girl's small body and stood to her full height, carrying her inside the manor and closing the door with her foot.

Regina walked until she reached the living room and sat on the couch, still holding Grace close to her, now rubbing circles on her back, soothing her. She said nothing until the sobbing and shoulder shaking came to an end, thus pulling back slightly to cheek on Grace. The girl truly looked like a mess and that broke what was left of her blackened heart. Raising one of her hands, she gently wiped the tears with her fingertips and kissed the girl's temple.

"We'll find him Grace. I don't know why you came to me, but we'll find Jefferson."


	5. Blood

**A/N. Welcome to the land of AU! In which after returning Snow White and Emma to Storybrooke, and a few years passing until everyone returns to their homeworld, Regina becomes a sorceress for hire as much as she keeps her title as Queen after making a truce with Snow. Our sorceress for hire's assistance is now needed by the one and only Princess Aurora.**

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**Blood:** One of our characters is wounded and the other is taking care of them. - Aurora

Forty five years filled with unhappiness, witchcraft, murder, confrontation, forced relationships, curses and perhaps the most complicated family tree that ever existed on any world. And when the Dark curse was fully broken, Regina had been pardoned of all she had ever done to inflict pain unto others because she had truly proved to be on the path to redemption as much as she did anything in her power to protect her family, Snow White included.

She did not even flinch when she was pardoned, her face was nothing but the mask that hid every single emotion over the years. Perhaps being one of the very few useful skills she learned from her mother, a mother who was very much alive and back, but unlike the past now Regina was the one in charge and calling the shots which was a great relief for everyone in the Enchanted Forest.

Perhaps what no one had seen coming was the alliance between Regina and Snow White, or as they secretly called it Screwed Over Queens United. The former Evil Queen who still kept her title was also a sorceress for hire, somehow it turned into that, and member of the war council to the dismay of many yet Snow nor Regina cared; perhaps that was to blame on the fact that they had somewhat patched up their relationship.

One example of this 'sorceress for hire' that was ongoing was when services were required to aid Princess Aurora. Regina was aware that they have probably exagerated greatly the lenghs of the Princess' condition, but still she decided to be cautious to reach the palace fast and that meant transporting herself right there, appearing on a puff of purple smoke in the throne room before the girl's parents. Regina knew Aurora's mother, they had met long ago as much as the former Evil Queen knew of the Sleeping Beauty because of Maleficent's beef with her yet thankfully nothing was mentioned.

She was guided to the Princess' chambers, where she was practically hidden from the when she finally entered the room she understood why, if only by the smell that filled her nostrils as soon as she stepped inside: death was near.

Approaching fast the bed in which Aurora laid, Reginna carefully pulled back the covers to take a better look at the Princess. Her skin was too pale, with almost a greyish tint to it, and upon touching her forehead she was burning up. Reciting a spell to cast upon the unconscious Princess to find the origin of what was causing the fever, Regina moved her traveling cloak and pulled her long hair up in a bun so it was out of her way to work. Soon enough, she found the origin and with a quick snap of her fingers the clothing that covered the wound was removed.

The smell that came from it was even worst than the one that almost made her fall, not that she'd ever admit it, once she entered the chamber. Clearly someone thought that allowing no ventilation into the room would help. With another snap of her fingers the windows behind her opened as she sat down on the edge of the bed to take a closer look to the infected wound. It was a mystery for the Queen how someone such as Aurora would have been able to cause such a wound to herself, but it made her wonder if her dearest Maleficent had been somehow involved.

Still, with an unconscious if not comatose patience there was no time for her to waste, she began to clean the wound by removing all the dead skin that would soon turn into gangrene if not removed and cleaned to stop it from spreading any further. Thankfully, due to her abilities as a healer which she had learned long ago and not thanks to Rumple, Regina was able to create the balm that would act as if it were antibiotics to stop the infection but that would come later.

After an hour, with the wound now completely clean, she sent one of the servants that was waiting by the door to fetch a list of ingridients for her that should be within the castle and a morter. Everything else she could procure magically, fetching them from her black castle even with such distance. The servant returned, and he was clearly scared of her, which she did not care about as right now she had someone to take care of.

With all the ingredients at hand, she moved over to the table that had been set up before her arrival and spread there everything she needed. First she made the balm to stop the infection from spreading and gently applied it all over the wound, its properties being absolved quickly within minutes as if nothing had ever been in contact with the frail looking skin. Afterwards, came the ointment that would allow a faster skin regeneration which had to be paired up with a spell she had not used in a very long time.

She began the incantation, golden light coming from her palms as she held them mere inches above the marred skin and it slowly began to close, and within minutes the once awful smelling wound was gone. Sadly, the skin that had once being open still kept the same dark color it once had, but at least Aurora's skin had began to look healthier which meant all Regina had done so far was working.

As the Princess was still out of it, Regina took the time to prepare more balm that would need to be applied over Aurora's skin until there were no marks left on her skin and so her health no longer in risk. Just as she was done with the mixture, Regina heard a weak voice and she looked up to find that the girl was back amongst the living. Approaching the bed once again, she sat down on the edge and took one of the girl's hands in her own.

"Hello, Aurora." Regina's tone was gentle, which was the one she had taken on whenever she had to aid someone who was sick.

The girl muttered something, which the dark haired Queen was not able to understand, but once she opened her eyes the widened as saucers.

"Wha-what are you… Doing here?" Her tone was close to panic, which could not be truly blamed.

"You parents called for me to help you. You were at death's door."

"You… You helped me?"

"I'm a sorceress for hire, child. One, who is also a healer." Regina smiled softly then, as with her free hand she touched Aurora's forehead and she was relieved as the fever was almost gone. "I shall leave instructions for your mother, and whoever else she asks me to, for your treatment to continue with your recovery."

"Will you tell _her_?"

"Tell who, Aurora?"

"Maleficent."

Ah, so her good friend the wicked fairy had been involved after all?

"Did she do this to you?"

"No but… But she's probably behind it."

"If it was her doing then she has changed her preferred poisoning method. She's never used this before."

"You know her?"

Regina laughed then. "Of course I do, child. We're friends, have been for many years."

"Then you'll tell her! And she will come back for me!"

Sighing almost exhasperated, Regina spoke once again. "Haven't you heard I am boringly nice nowadays? And Maleficent and I have the habit of hiding things from one another."

That seemed to be enough to make Aurora relax, if the grip on her hand was any indication. "Thank you, your Majesty. For saving my life and not telling Maleficent. How could I ever repay you?"

"Sorceress for hire, child. Your parents will pay the fee for my services and nothing else will be owed."

Regina then removed her hand from Aurora's as she was about to stand up but the Princess took ahold of her arm, and spoke with an almost pleading tone.

"Could you stay for longer? You are the first visitor I've had since…"

Neither of them needed to finish that sentence. Since the curse was fully broken and everyone returned to their respective lands. Regina understood the loneliness the young Princess felt, for she had to deal with it too yet she would never admit it. But she still nodded as she snapped her fingers to cover up Aurora as the windows were still opened, to clear the air, but the girl was slightly shivering with cold which was understandable.

"I suppose I could stay for longer."

And that was enough to be rewarded with a beaming smile, which oddly enough reminded her of the ones a young and innocent Snow White used to give her once upon a time.


	6. Alliance

**A/N. This one has insanity written all over it, and yet it is the most canon story of them all. Mostly because I started writing last night around 4 am, kept going until around 9 am, and I started writing again today and finished a bit before 6 am, and you can probably figure out when I lost it writing it. Therefore, with all the random stuff I included here, this is a crack fic. Includes Game of Thrones/ASoIaF references and a few moves taken from Star Wars as well as mentions to it, and even a LotR one. Dragon Queen is a thing on this story, as well as King George/Cora is included because it is one of my theories and I obviously support it. Also major character death, mentions of abuse/torture in public - don't say I didn't warn you.**

**On a happier note there are many characters involved here: Regina, Snow, James, Red, Granny, Maleficent, Henry, Emma, Cora, Rumpel and King George.**

* * *

**Alliance**: I will write our characters making a common cause - willingly or reluctantly - Snow White

Once upon a time an alliance, that only those who witnessed the reason as to what made it happen were able to truly believe, was forged between the Evil Queen and Snow White. Of course, later on as the story was told by both step-mother and step-daughter everyone slowly began to believe the tale to be more than just that, as well as those who witnessed, therefore ceasing all rumors about the Evil Queen casting a spell on her step-daughter. And this is how it took place.

All happened during the final battle of good versus evil in Storybrooke, Maine. The battle that decided their fates, permanently. Lines were drawn, members of each side were very clear except for a few ones and the Evil Queen was one of those few who was still on the grey area of the undecided ones, and so was everyone who owed her anything or was somewhat friendly, if not a true friend, with her. Everyone knew that when she finally chose a side, the war would be inclined in favour of the side that gained her and her allies.

Of course, her family was devided although the only one of them who was not on the good side was Cora, who joined Storybrooke Evil Inc. on day one; the woman tried everything in her power, included the return of magic as form of torture, on her own daughter to make her join the ranks of SEI.

Many witnessed what Cora did to her own daughter, even if someone ever stepped up to aid her as all were terrified of what the older woman, and Queen of Wonderland, would do to them if they tried. However, once each attack was over several tried to approach the Evil Queen but she sent them all away, except for a few as those were the ones she knew she could still trust. Snow White tried to help her several times, but Regina sent her away every single one all with the same reasoning: if she truly cared for her, she would do something and not just stand aside like a coward. Oddly enough, it was Maleficent the one who always got in between step-mother and step-daughter before another fight broke; and it was odd because the wicked fairy always thrilled on the suffering of others, unless her good friend had been hurt enough for one day.

This day as Maleficent was healing the wounds of an almost comatose Regina, the blonde decided to speak about the whole matter.

"You can't let that old toad do this to you anymore, Gina."

"I'm not that kind of masochist, Mal." Regina said, practically whispering.

"Could have fooled me." The blonde said, as she was putting back together the tissue on the brunette's arm that had been tore apart.

"Gimme more cider, I need to be drunker for this." Regina had a high resistance for pain but what her friend was doing was beyond the level she could bear.

Sighing, Maleficent filled one of the glasses and helped her friend to take a long sip before she went back to her work, silently until she was done with it. Taking the glass from Regina, the blonde drunk in one gulp what was left of it.

"Listen to me. You can't keep this going, each day you are weaker and one day she will kill you, Gina. You know she will."

The brunette laughed bitterly. "She won't, because that would destroy her. And you know… You know why I'm doing this."

"Yes, to make her believe she is more powerful than you are, to make everyone believe they are to be scared of her and not you."

Nodding too weakly, just like the smile that matched it, Regina tried to sat up on the couch but soon she found herself assited by Maleficent who, somehow, managed to swoop her in her arms.

"Mal?" The brunette looked up, confused as to why her friend was doing that.

"I'm carrying you to bed, you're in no shape to do nothing else but rest."

Regina said nothing, mostly because she suddenly fell even more tired than before, all the cider she had been drinking must've kicked in finally and as soon as her head touched one of her pillows she fell asleep.

Suddenly, the sound of what felt like a bomb awoke the brunette who found herself in the arms of a very confused Maleficent and that only made Regina stare at her friend more confused because, of all the things that were going on, the blonde fairy holding her in her sleep was the strangest of them all.

"What's going on?" The former Mayor finally asked.

"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty." Maleficent was grinning, even if she had just insulted her friend in her standards, but she was glad to see her awake. "You've been in dreamland for five days. For sometime I thought someone put the sleeping curse in your cider."

"Five days?" Regina's eyes widened because it couldn't be. She had never slept that long, how could even be possible anyway?

"Your body needed to heal, and last night you had night terrors. Again."

Regina closed her eyes then, feeling ashamed that at her age she was still plagued by night terrors from time to time. Even if nowadays she did not wake up or remember them in the morning, she knew Maleficent was telling the truth as much as it explained why the blonde had been holding her as she slept. Absentmindedly, she cuddled closer to the fairy and tried to relax, until she heard the same sound that first awoke her but this time it was louder and she felt the manor shaking too.

As her eyes fluttered open Regina got out of the bed, not as fast as she'd like as she had not moved for five days, with Maleficent hot in her heels, as she walked as fast as her legs carried her downstairs and opened the front door and as she was on the porch she could see from her spot almost half of the town either on fire or shambles. True, it was her fault they all were there because she did cast the Dark Curse, and she may no longer be the Mayor, but it was her town and she had never wanted it to turn into a war zone and yet it had happened during her five-day slumber.

Walking back into the manor, she heard the front door closing and she knew the fairy was right behind her again. Sighing, she looked down and finally took a look at her appereance, in a silk nightgown she was not wearing when she fell asleep and she knew what happened but she would not mention it as she had other matters to discuss.

"It's began." The brunette's tone was calm because she had expected this to happen sooner or later.

"Shall I do as we discussed?" The bloned asked as she looked at her friend.

Regina nodded. "You know who to contact and what to do. Today we make our move. Today we choose a side and fight for our lives."

"We win or we die, there's no middle ground." Maleficent's word were almost too quiet for the fairy's normal behaviour, which was slightly suspicious for the brunette. And then when the blonde approached her, she saw that glint in her eyes she had seen long ago but almost forgotten though she didn't have much time to dwell on it as their lips crashed together in a sloppy kiss that slowly turning passionate, slowly igniting a fire that had long being dormant. And, sadly, they did not have the time to explore that further so their kiss, once it came to an end, was either the promise of what was to come if they lived or die knowing everything was still there after all those years, and neither of them was alone.

Without any other exchange between them, Maleficent disappeared into thin air just as Regina rushed, or at least tried, upstairs to have a quick shower and get ready for the final battle. Knowing she'd have to be fast, as the wicked fairy would return within minutes, Regina used magic after her shower to get her hair and make up ready as well as her clothes. She was going as the Evil Queen, because as who else would she go other than that? Clad in black leather trousers and boots, and her floor lengh burgundy jacket with black lapels, the neck broch included as it held the white scarf in place covering part of the white blouse she wore underneath.

Satisfied with her look, she made her way downstairs to find Maleficent already waiting for her in her usual purple ensemble, staff in hand, and all those who were still loyal to them, around thirty people, filling the living room. All were silent as they saw their Queen, giving them the same look as usual, and without saying a word she marched towards the front door with Maleficent right behind. After all, the blonde was her second in command.

They walked until they reached Main Street, everything they have left behind save for the Manor and a few other properties in shambles. The townhall was half destroyed, which made Regina's heartstrings pull a little as she had worked so hard to decorate that damned building and now it was all for naught, but those were the things that happened at war. Soon enough, Regina knew where the ones she was looking for met and that leading her people to the long forgotten library. The doors were locked but as if that would ever stop her. Throwing a ball of pure energy at the lock, and barriers that were no doubt behind it, she walked through Evil Queen patended smirk on her face included.

"Snow!" The brunette called out as she walked further into the library, soon finding the person she was looking for surrounded by her allies.

"What do you want?" Her step-daughter barked at her.

"Oh, so much fury. She really learned from you all those years you raised her." Maleficent quipped, smirking.

"She did not raise me, she pretended to be my mother and she is nothing…"

"But an evil witch." Regina finished for her. "Yes dear, I know, but after all these years you might change your speech don't you think?" Rolling her eyes at their unamused faces, she continued. "As for your question, we both know why I'm here."

"You chose a side. Which one?" Snow asked.

"Do you think I would be here had I chosen the other one?" Regina asked back, almost challenging her.

"You're really fighting for good?" Henry suddenly asked, coming from behind the library's front desk.

"Henry!" The brunette exclaimed, slowly approaching the desk to see her son, a son she had not really seen in a long time. "And I am." She looked back for a moment. "We are. They are all those magical beings who are still loyal to me, or at least those who had made their allegiance known. During the fight others may join us, or my old knights as well." Her attention returned to her son, just as her tone softened. "This is it, Henry. The final battle you have spoken so much about."

Turning again, this time facing everyone in the room just as she held one of her son's hands, she spoke, giving the speech she had in mind for weeks. "Today our destiny, our paths, will decide the fate of not only those fighting here, or those hidden in safe locations, but of all our homeworlds. Today we decide what we shall do for the rest of our lives. And if we die, if we perish, it shall not be in vain because we will be fighting for what we believe in, we will be fighting for what should prevail and what others should remember. Because today, my dears, blood will water this town to end a war that has been ongoing before any of us was ever born, before any of our fates was ever toyed with. Today is the day in which everything changes and we are the ones who decide how and why because no one else has a right to dictate our lives." Her voice then rose as she spoke again. "Today shall be the day everyone will remember, this day will be marked in history as the day in which all of us put an end to the slaughter and terror each and one of us has ever suffered to free our people, together, and stand as one against them."

The room bursted in cheers, whistling and clapping as she finished her speech and suddenly she felt a pair of arms around her waist and she she looke down she noticed it was Henry and that made her smile brightly because it had been too long since her son had freely given her a hug, one that she gladly returned. The embrace came too soon to an end for her taste as Snow had interrupted them, and she was actually smiling.

"That was impressive, mother." Snow said, her smile still in place.

And that word had indeed shocked the eldest brunette because it had been too long since Snow had truly called her that.

"I once rallied troups to battle, then settled down for politics. Given speeches has always been part of my life, dear."

"Still it was an inspiring speech, even Charming and Grumpy were moved." The younger woman was quiet for a moment. "I'm glad you joined us, as I feared you would join the others."

"Because the old bat is crazier than all of us returned?" Maleficent said as she joined them.

"Mal, private conversation." Regina said, not looking at the blonde. "And mother has something else coming."

It was then Snow the one who was confused, as she frowned when she spoke. "What do you mean?"

"I had her believe she was still in control, still had the upper hand over me. Mommy dearest will get what is coming for her."

"Regina…" Snow's tone was barely above a whisper as she said the name and hugged the older woman. "You pulled yourself through so much pain to throw her off, and us. You've never done anything like this."

"Let's just say I'm an improved version of myself, shall we?"

Nodding, Snow pulled back and smiled again just as James, Red, Emma and Granny approached them. Henry was beside her, holding her hand again and Maleficent ot her other side.

"I want someone to look after Henry, and take him to the manor, he will be safe there."

"What? Mom! You can't do that, I've been training sword fighting and…"

"I said no, young man. I am not going to risk your life over this war, you're too young to fight."

She knew he'd look for support on his birth mother, that much was a given.

"I agree with your mom, kid. We need you to stay safe and no one's been able to attack her place."

"I can take care of him." Granny, or rather Widow Lucas, said with her crossbow in hand.

"Granny! We need you here." Red protested.

"And who is going to look after him? Both his mothers are fighting, the rest of his family is too. I can keep him under control and any intruders will have a date with my crossbow."

"She's feisty for a widow and granny." Maleficent whispered into Regina's ear, getting herself elbowed in the process.

"Widow Lucas is a good choice, but we should need someone else just in case." Regina said, as if she were part of the war council.

"We could spare a couple fairies." Snow said, and her suggestion was soon met with approval from her step-mother.

Within minutes, the small party was set and after bidding goodbye to Henry, they all saw him go to the manor with this three guards. As soon as they were gone, the room was buzzing with plans and deciding how to devide everyone into different teams, and at least they did not mix Regina's people with Snow's as that would not end well. By the time it was all said and done, there were four teams led by Regina, Maleficent, Snow and James, and their timing could have not been better as another explotion was heard near the library.

Group after group the library, the headquarters for Storybrooke's Morally Ambiguous Royalty & Associates, was emptied until no one else remained within the building. It didn't take them long to reach the enemy line, led by Rumpelstiltskin, giggling like a maniac as usual, and Cora throwing fireballs randomly until the woman spotted her daughter, and even from the distace that separated them Regina was able to tell the evil grin her mother sported.

"Look who finally left her precious mansion to join us." Cora said, mockingly.

"Hello, mother." Regina's tone was cold. "And I am merely joining the fight, not your ranks."

"Oh darling, you are such a disappointment. You will never learn true power for as long as you fight with the weaklings."

"And you, mother, are the biggest disappointment of them all."

Collectively, everyone held their breath waiting for the fight to break, waiting to see if was the mother or the daughter who launched the first attack. And then, Regina was nowhere to be found, she had simply disappeared in a way no one had ever seen her but suddenly an expected force pushed Cora halfway through the unofficially designed battleground for the day, making her land rather ungracefully on the pavement. As everyone looked at the spot the older woman stood on mere seconds ago, they found Regina standing three feet behind her with a mix of purple smoke and bolts surrounding her hands and wrists, a kind of power she had never shown before; after all, even during her reign of terror in the Enchanted Forest she had never truly shown what she was capable of.

And it seemed as if everyone was frozen as no one dared to move, no one tried to stop her as she calmly walked towards her mother who was looking at her with a mix of pride and terror all at once.

"Get up." Regina sneered, looking down at her mother.

And with all the grace she could muster, Cora rose and her anger, reigning and running through her, led her to try to take her daughter's heart our of her chest only to be frozen in her spot.

"Something wrong, mother?" Regina was mocking her mother now, and she couldn't help but smirk at the face her mother gave her right then. "Awh, mommy dearest is being bested by her ever disappointing child. There's one thing you really need to learn mother, and that is that all you have done since you set a foot in my town? All was a rouse, a trick, to make you believe you held the same power over me. But you don't anymore, and you will learn of your mistakes today."

Taking a step backwards, she relased her mother and as she expected the woman tried to throw a spell on her which she quickly evaded teleporting herself back to stand between Snow and Maleficent. And that was enough to finally get the real war started: Rumple unleashing a wraith - again -, Cora conjuring up vines and fireballs to get started, the Blind Witch going forth with her minions, and to make it worse half a dozen ogres appeared out of nowhere. Monsters make their appearece too, and only a few knew they were Victor Frankenstein's creations, as much as Cora's army from Wonderland joined the fight.

Red turned into a wolf, as she had been able to learn how to do it at will on Storybrooke as well, and Snow and their group followed them to fight the ogres. Maleficent morphed into her dragon form, and soon roasted half of the Wonderland army while James and his group fought the other half. The remaining people on their side joined the fight, while Regina fought spell after spell coming from her mother, Rumple and she didn't even know who else.

Dusk came and some of those who first joined the battle had perished; the ogres had taken members of both sides, and the last one had been just taken down by Emma Swan. Cora's army had been defeated, although it came with the cost of the dwarves being injured and taken out of the field, and Red had been harmed as well though she had recovered for the most part after the faries helped her to heal, allowing her to keep fighting. It all was too quiet, until James' yelling Snow's name got everyone's attention to what was going on.

It all seemed as a slow motion scene taken out of a movie. Snow being thrown away by Rumple, almost knocking her out as she laid on the pavement. The greenish imp stepping closer to her in a menacing way, wraith medallion in hand with every intention of marking Snow White with it to be the next prey for the soul sucker. In the wink of an eye, Regina teleported herself from her spot next to Red to be behind Rumple. As she materialized herself, she took a big risk which if she played right would most certainly end the war.

"Not my step-daughter, you imp." She yelled as she puff of purple smoke appeared and her right arm was half-through Rumple's chest, her hand holding his still beating heart and pulled it back.

Walking around him, Regina stood between him and Snow, giving her time to recover and stand up. Rumple, though, did not waste time and tried to mark Regina with the medallion but as she began to squeeze his heart he was on his knees.

"Careful, dearie. You wouldn't like to end like me, do you?"

"I'd have to kill you with your dagger, Rumple. And, certainly, green's never been a good color on me." She pretended to be thoughtful for a moment, but she squeezed his heart again as he tried to stab her this time with the dagger. "Ah ah, careful or you may just die too soon."

"You can't kill me! We made a deal!"

"Really, and what deal was that? Oh that's right, I would cast the curse for you in exchange of you getting to your child. A child, who I may remind you, loathes you still after all these centuries. A deal I made to be stronger, to be able to protect myself and you exploided because you needed a pawn."

"A monster. You're my monster, dearie."

Out of nowhere then, Cora appeared next to them and threw a fireball at Rumple's hand, the one in which he held his dagger making him shriek in pain.

"She's not yours dear, she's my monster." Cora smirked. "I'm her mother after all."

"Why, thank you mother, so nice of you to claim ownership." Regina was being sarcastic, as she levitated the dagger and held it with her free hand, now controlling Rumpel completely.

Regina was weary as to what had made her mother actually step up to defend her, because all those years of ongoing abuse - magical, verbal and mental - had rarely made her believe her mother had any ounce of a loving heart left in her, and yet a part of Regina still loved her. And that feeling within her was what in that moment allowed her to give her mother the benefit of the doubt as she turned around to check on Snow, who was finally coming back to her senses.

"You saved me." Snow said as she finally stood up, standing close to her step-mother.

"Like the day in which we met."

"Kill him, what are you waiting for?" Cora asked, breaking the moment.

"I'm trying to be a better person, mother."

"And yet you killed and maimed ogres and part of my army yourself."

"Shall I remind you the ogre I killed was about to kill you or do you have selective memory?"

"Mother, grandmother, I beg of you, stop it!" Snow exclaimed, making the other two brunettes first look at the youngest and then back at each other.

"Did she just call me…?"

"Grandmother?" Regina finished for her mother. "She must've knocked her head harder than I thought."

"Oh Snow, you should let me check your head to make sure you aren't harmed." Cora slipped back into that fake sweetness tone of hers that everyone who had spent enough time around her knew.

"I'm fine. And if I'm accepting Regina again as my mother, that makes you my grandmother."

"Congratulations mother, you became a grandma, great-grandma and great-great-grandma all at once." Regina sneered, trying to contain her laughter at the idea that their family tree had become the most complex in history of the Enchanted Forest.

"And your father as well."

"Daddy's dead, I ripped his heart to enact the curse."

"I know what you did, child." Cora sighed, trying to control her temper. "I mean your real father, King George. The coward didn't join us to fight."

"King George's your father?" Snow asked looking at Regina.

"I'm the daughter of a King. King George's of all people." Regina's eyes narrowed and looked at Snow. "And you are the illegitimate Princess of a Kingdom that is mine by rights, since birth, that you took over just to have somewhere to sit on."

"But King George is Charming's adoptive father!"

"And you overthrew him for a right that is mine, I'm older than that sheperd playing to be a prince! And the legitimate heir!"

"But we didn't know that, and you're already a Queen."

"Because I was forced to marry your father who was as old as mine."

"Dearies?" Rumpel spoke up, even if he was still half clutching his hand on the floor, as Regina squeezed his heart from time to time to keep him down. "How about you keep your fight after you are done with me? Deal?"

"You are in no position to make deals, Gold." Emma said, as she had joined the group of people unoticed.

"We need the war council to decide what to do with him." Snow said, trying to be fair.

"Screw the war council, get Charming, Maleficent and Red over here and we decide what to do with him." Emma said, almost ordering what to do to her mother which only made Regina smirk.

Once everyone was reunited an emergency council meeting took place with the following members: Snow White, Prince Charming, Emma Swan, Red, Maleficent, the Evil Queen and the Queen of Hearts. It was, by far, the most strange council any of them remembered but it was needed to decide the fate of the one and only Dark One for once and for all.

The Charmings wanted to keep him alive, if only because of his so called ability to foretell the future, although Charming himself wanted the imp dead. Maleficent didn't care what they were going to do with him and would vote the same as Regina, her reasoning was not disclosed and everyone simple blamed it on the wicked fairy and the dark sorceress being close friends. And Cora, being Cora, wanted to torture the imp for a while, behead him, sew his head back in and then crush his heart into dust.

After a heated argument for half an hour, and several squeezes to Rumpel's heart to keep him quiet, a decision was made: order him to squeeze his own heart to ashes, while Regina held the dagger to control him. It was the only way to be sure he'd be gone, forever, and that no one would become the next Dark One. The only problem was how to pull it off, and Maleficent came up with the solution, as she knew the imp was scared of her and what she could do. Turning again into her dragon form, which made Emma finally realise that the dragon she thought she slayed was still very much alive, and curled on the road holding Rumple with one of her claws rather tightly as Regina gave him the order. An order that he tried to make a deal to escape from but nothing of what he offered aided him.

Relunctantly, he took his own heart into his hand and try as he might to put it back on his chest the control Regina held over him as she held his dagger didn't allow him. Slowly he began to squeeze his own heart but the pain made him stop, he couldn't take it, it was too much as it weakened his strengh.

"I cannot… I can't do this, dearie…" He managed to say between deep breaths.

"I command you to crush your heart, Dark One." Regina said in her Evil Queen voice.

Somehow, the power that run through her in that moment as she held the dagger was stronger than the one she felt when she first had it on her hand and the imp must've felt it too, as with one final manic shriek from him his heart finally turned into ashes and with it so did his body, turning into nothing but a pile of dust. Maleficent turned back into her human form and looked down at the ashes at her feet, before she returned her attention to the group and found Regina looking at the dagger.

"What's wrong, darling?"

If anyone was surprised by the term of endearment they hid it well as no one seemed to notice.

"The dagger… I thought it would be destroyed with him."

"You foolish child, the dagger can't be destroyed." Her mother said. "It can only be destroyed where it was forged."

"Mount Doom?" Emma tried, because to her this was about to turn into The Lord of the Rings minus hobbits, and change the ring for a dagger.

Cora looked at the younger blonde as she had grown a second head. "Regina, what is she going on about?"

"Nothing you should worry about mother, you will understand in due time." Regina looked around those with her, which in one way or the other were now part of her family, before she returned her attention to her mother. "That is if you decide to become part of this family and act as part of it."

Cora did not have time to provide with an answer, as Henry rushed into the group and almost tackled Regina to the ground. As he looked up he was beaming and then took one of Emma's hands as he didn't fully let go of his brunette mother. Soon they were also joined by Widow Lucas and the two fairies that helped to keep Henry safe.

"You did it mom! You did it!" He exclaimed, looking from one mother to the other.

"We all did it, kid. And your mom really has some Jedi moves, too." Emma said, in her own way congratulating Regina as much as sharing the victory.

"Dark Lord of the Sith, dear. One working on reforming herself, but Dark Lord nonetheless."

"You sure your mom didn't hit you too hard? 'Cause you never make jokes." Emma was clearly shocked, even if she failed to notice the way in which Cora was looking at her.

Henry then looked around until he found Cora, narrowing his eyes as he looked at her.

"Is she coming to live with us, mom?"

"I don't know dear. That depends on your grandma and whether or not she wants to be part of our family."

"But she hurt you! And Snow told me all she did to you. She's evil."

"Your grandmother is not as much evil as I am, or your mother, young man." The voice startled them all, and as they looked to the left they found none other than King George. "I hurt her, I broke her heart and that made her found solace in magic. In turn, for hurting and losing her, I became a bitter man." His explanation was brief, but it seemed to be enough for everyone else.

Silence fell upon them, and it was awkward as there was still so much to be explained, so many relationships to be fixed within the ever dysfuntional royal family. And the silence came to an end when Emma's stomach growled loudly enough to make everyone look at her.

"Fighting makes me hungry." She said, trying to excuse herself.

"You didn't even eat breakfast this morning, Emma." Snow said in a motherly tone.

"I know you're my mom but this is still so weird." Emma sighed, running her hands through her hair. "Snow White's my mom, and the Evil Queen is my grandma and I also share a son with her, and Red is also the wolf and my mom's best friend, and the Queen of Hearts is my great-grandmother and I killed Maleficent but I didn't really kill her because I saw her barbaque half an army and an ogre at the same time. And I need food. Lots of food because my head hurts and I'm tired."

"Regina, dear, you really aren't dating her, are you?" Cora finally spoke and it was to exactly as that, to the surprise of everyone.

"Mother, we only share Henry as Miss Swan is his biological mother and I adopted him. And I might be dating someone, soon, and you best not try to rip their heart or what I did today to you is nothing compared to what I'll do." And that threat, to Regina's surprise, made Cora smile. Her mother was really insane to smile after being threatened.

"You are?" Snow asked, curiousity getting the best of her.

"Flake of snow, I should hope you know how to greet your other step-mother." Maleficent said as she walked to stand next to Regina. "And you, old toad," she said talking to Cora, "you better not try to harm Gina again or Gods help me I roast you, heal you, and roast you again until I get bored."

"You know, she's serious about the roasting. Tried to that with me." James suddenly said.

"Serves you well for putting that egg on me, Charming."

The situation was about to get out of control, until Henry removed himself from his mothers and stood in the middle so that everyone could see him, as much as hear him.

"We are a family. We just fought the final battle and we won. Good won! Can't we just be happy?"

"Henry's right." Snow said as she slowly made her way to stand next to him. "Our battle is over. And it is time we all reunite and celebrate together, as a family."

Regina was the next to join them. "My children are right. Let's celebrate our victory, we can argue all we want starting tomorrow as we plan how to rebuild this town while we find a way to go back to our homeworld, as much as discuss who inherits which Kingdom and keeps the crown."

Snow was smiling, and as she looked down at Henry she winked at him and then they made a sandwich of Regina, much to the surprise of the eldest brunette.

"I don't have a ham complex, children, so please let me go, or else. I feed you both poisoned apples again."

That was enough to make Snow and Henry pull back as if Regina had the plague, making her roll her eyes. "I was kidding, I am not going to poison anyone. However, I am willing to feed everyone. I have enough food for an army at the manor and we should celebrate with a little feast."

That seemed to be enough to make everyone move and slowly get them going to the manor. Red walked along with her Granny and James. Emma was walking with Henry, who was asking her about the battle and all he missed. Cora had linked her arm with George's and everyone prayed they'd make it alive to the manor. Maleficent was the next to go, with Snow and Regina trailing behind her; she had given them space to talk, but she was close enough to eavesdrop their conversation.

"Do you think this will work?" Snow asked.

"We won't know if we don't try, and seeing as we both are willing, the best may be yet to come for us."

"But the fights…"

"We're a family Snow, we are meant to fight. We just take it to the next level. Your grandmother is a sorceress, so is your step-mother and the soon to share that title is an evil fairy. And that's only naming three of us."

Snow smiled sheepishly and nodded, aware that her step-mother was right. "Will you forgive me? For Daniel?"

Regina had not expected that, but she nodded. "I already did. Had I not, I would have not called this alliance with you, bringing my people along."

The younger brunette beamed as she linked her arm with Regina's. "Thank you, mother. And I forgive you, for everything. I saw the old you today, and I know you can do it. I believe in you."

"Thank you, Snow." Her words were truthful, as much as the ones that followed next. "And I hope you know we may need another alliance for Thanksgiving in two weeks. My mother, Emma and Maleficent cannot get in the kitchen."

"I heard that!" Maleficent called out.

"I don't want you to roast the turkey, that's what the oven's for." Regina said, almost laughing.

Mother and daughter continued conspiring all the way to the manor about what to do for Thanksgiving, if by then they were still in Storybrooke, because this time they really had something to be truly thankful for. And Gods help them to keep their alliance intact for that day, lest they find themselves missinng a turkey or a pumpkin pie lost to a food war.


End file.
